Morning Birding Species List | December 3, 2013

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Throughout the fall, winter and spring ACES offers monthly Morning Birding classes at our Hallam Lake site in Aspen. Class outings venture to local birding hotspots and the birds never fail to impress. Take a look at the below species list and notes from one of the recent classes and register today for upcoming birding classes!

Tuesday, December 3, 2013, 7:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Weather: overcast, 30% ice coverage on the lake
Locations: Hallam Lake and Hunter Creek Trail

Species Identified
Canada Goose Mallard Lesser Scaup Hooded Merganser (pictured above) Belted Kingfisher Steller’s Jay		Black-billed Magpie American Crow Black-capped Chickadee Mountain Chickadee Brown Creeper American Dipper

Comments: Another beautiful winter morning with the highlight of two great ducks: female hooded merganser and female lesser scaup.  The brown creeper was another uncommon sighting, foraging on the mature cottonwoods along ACES’ driveway.  Lots of pair interactions observed between dippers.  Muskrats can be seen fairly reliably and lots of trimmed willows indicate healthy beaver activity.

~Rebecca Weiss, ACES Naturalist